WIESBADEN-NORDENSTADT, Germany – It took three sets, but defending champion Nikolay Gospodinov of SHAPE finally turned 5-foot-3-inch, 105-pound Naples freshman Randall Biery from a roadblock into a game-sharpening speed bump on Day 1 of the three-day DODDS-Europe tennis championships.“It’s very good to have a tough first match,” Gospodinov said after finally subduing Biery 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 by winning the final three games of the decisive set. “You’ve got to get ready.”Gospodinov, seeded third this year behind No. 1 Ajdin Tahorovic of Patch and No. 2 Patrick Tan of International School of Brussels, body-punched his way to the victory, running the unseeded Naples freshman back and forth all match long.Biery, to his credit and probably to Gospodinov’s frustration, reached almost every ball, returning them loaded with spin. Eventually, however, Gospodinov reaped the reward for his patient movement of Biery with a forehand winner.“It took awhile,” Gospodinov said when asked about his tactic of running Biery out of the match. “You try things, and if that doesn’t work, you do something else.”In what was the opening match for both players — Gospodinov drew a bye in Round 1 and Biery advanced on a forfeit — Biery earned the respect of the crowd and a big hug from three of his female teammates. “I wasn’t nervous at all,” said a fatigued and disappointed Biery, whose coach and teammates conducted an intense search for an energy drink to help him out after the second set.“That was the best match of the tournament,” director Tom Richards said. “We thought about seeding him (Biery), but there are only so many seeds. He’ll meet other seeds in the consolation round.”In other boys matches of note Thursday, top-seeded Patch freshman Tahirovic downed Daniel Buffett of Incirlik 6-2, 6-0, but one seeded boy fell. Unseeded Gabriele Boccaccini of the American Overseas School of Rome bounced No. 6 Aryan Von Eicken of Ramstein 6-3, 6-2.Top-seeded and two-time defending girls’ champion Ginevra Bolla of Marymount hardly broke a sweat in reaching Friday’s quarterfinals. After a first-round bye, Bolla advanced by injury default over Rebekkah Gamble of Lakenheath. Bolla was leading the match 6-0, 1-0 when Gamble retired. The only girls seed to fall Thursday was No. 7 Galal Ali Fahmi of Bahrain, 3-6, 4-6 to Casey Leon of Hohenfels.Play resumes at 9 a.m. Friday on the indoor courts of the Teniszentrum Vitis. The tournament is to conclude Saturday, with title matches expected to begin at 11 a.m. There is no admission charge.bryanr@estripes.osd.mil